Into Purgatory
by valeskathesilverwolf
Summary: SPOILERS FOR 7X23! What happend after the episode ended? With Dean and Cas trapped in Purgatory, they have to find a way to get out, or risk being devoured by the most vile creatures that ever existed.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: **

**I'm dead.  
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**I'm leaving for Florida Sunday, and have done nothing to prepare for it, so tomorrow is going to be BUSY! :0  
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**But on the upside...  
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**The episode you guys!  
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**Perfection!  
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**Love  
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**Love  
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**Love  
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**Love  
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**This contains spoilers for 7x23  
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**Also somewhere amongst the tags on tumblr **

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"Cas!" Dean shouted, looking around desperately at all the monster's red eyes staring at him.

They moved out from the bushes and surrounded Dean. They snarled at him, and Dean wasn't even sure what they were.

Dean's eyes searched for a way to escape, but the beasts had every possible escape route blocked off.

"Dammit Cas. Now is a bad time to disappear on me." Dean mumbled. He searched himself, to see if he had any weapons on him, but could he even kill them? They were already dead, even if he did manage to gank one, wouldn't it just poof right back?

That raised another question. Was Dean dead himself? Because for all he knew, when Dick exploded, it could have killed him and Cas, plus Sam and Kevin were standing right there when it happened.

_Sam! _

Dean's mind surged in panic. Was Sam here with them, too? Maybe that's why Cas left him, to go pick up Sam and Kevin.

Dean's stomach twisted with a sick feeling, if Cas didn't show back up he was going to die a horrible painful death, or not die and be tortured for the rest of…forever.

As if one of the beasts had read his mind, it jumped forward to attack Dean. The hunter fell back on his ass and waited for the pain to come.

His mind briefly registered the contact on his shoulder before he was sitting on top of a rock, looking down at a forest. He scrambled up and turned around.

"Cas." He breathed a sigh of relief. "Where the hell did you go?"

"I scouted to find a relatively safe place for us to regroup." Cas said, eyes dancing all around looking for danger.

"What exactly happened?" Dean asked.

Cas sighed and said, "When Dick Roman exploded, the effects were so powerful that it acted like a vacuum which pulled us into Purgatory."

"So are we dead?" Dean asked.

"Not technically. We came here with our bodies intact, but that had created a bigger problem." Cas told him.

"Which is-"

"Dean every monster you have ever slayed is located here. If they were to find out about your presence here then, there wouldn't be any hope for us." Cas stated, face going serious.

"Yeah I get it, if they find out I'm here then I'm done for, but what about Sam, Cas? Did he and Kevin get sucked in here too?"

Cas shook his head. "Fortunately as we were standing closest to Dick only we were pulled in."

Dean shook his head and took a shaky breath, "Thank God."

Suddenly, Cas' legs began to wobble and he dropped down onto one knee. Dean shot out beside him, and held him up.

"Whoa, what's wrong?" Dean asked, concerned for his friend's safety.

"It's this place." Cas pushed himself up, with Dean's support.

"What about it?" Dean asked, wishing Cas would hurry up and get to the point.

"Angels are pure, well most angels anyway, but I still have my grace." Cas told him.

"Yeah and what about it?"

"I'm completely cut off from heaven here, Dean. In another dimension filled with the most vile and dark creatures ever in existence." Cas choked on a breath and began coughing.

Dean held onto his shoulder alarmed. "Cas what's happening? What's this place doing to you?"

"I would believe that it's killing me." Cas stated, not realizing how his words punched Dean in the gut, till his lungs collapsed and his insides twisted in despair.


	2. Chapter 2

"W...What?" Dean asked.

"We don't have long, we have to try and find a way to escape." Cas said, heading to the edge of the rock and looking down.

"Just slow down a minute, Cas." Dean raised his hands. "You're telling me you're _dying?" _

Cas nodded. "I may be able to scout some more without being detected, but-"

Cas was cut off as Dean pulled him back and threw him onto the ground.

"Just shut up, Cas!" Dean yelled, pacing back and forth.

Cas was confused as to why Dean was angry at him. "Dean?"

Dean seethed silently, and Cas frowned.

"I've said something wrong, then." Cas decided.

Dean spun around and pointed at him. "You tell me that you're freaking dying, and leave it at that?"

"There is nothing we can do to stop it, Dean." Cas told him, standing up and brushing himself off.

Dean looked up at the dark sky, and blinked rapidly. "How long do we have?" He asked quietly.

Castiel sighed, "It's hard to tell. It may take just a few days, or months."

"So we'll just have to get out of here before then." Dean stated.

Cas raised his head and met Dean's eyes. They were going to get out and they were _both _going to make it out _alive. _


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hey sorry I didn't update, I was in Florida. Thanks for all you guy's reviews, alerts, everything. **

**(I should really be working on my DeanCasBigBang, but I decided to do this.)  
**

* * *

Dean trekked through the dark forest of Purgatory, with Cas at his side. He had no idea what was watching them from out in the forest, but it un-nerved him.

"Is it every going to get light in here?" Dean turned to Cas, hoping to get some more answers about this place.

"It will remain dark here forever, Dean. This is the place where all evil resides."

Dean looked over the angel beside him. He knew that this place was killing Cas, but he didn't know how fast it was working to do so. The bead of sweat fell off of Cas' face onto his trench coat.

That raised warning flags in Dean's mind, because unlike hell, it was freezing here. It was almost enough to make him shiver. He wasn't going to ask Cas about it though, fearing he might make him frustrated, and make him disappear.

Cas seemed to be more in his right mind, but Dean really didn't know for sure. He was careful with what he said; he didn't want to trigger another mental episode in Cas. No right now, when he depended on him to get out of here.

"Cas, you seem better." Dean commented.

Cas glanced over at him questionably.

"Better?" He asked, confused.

"I mean, you're making more sense." Dean said, in a light tone, as to not startle him.

Cas realized that Dean was treating him as if he was so fragile that anything could make him shatter.

"This place is different." Cas said.

Dean raised an eyebrow. "Meaning?"

"This is more of my element, Dean. This was what I was born to do – I was made for killing evil. I'm quite use to going into uncharted territories to complete missions." Cas told him.

"So upstairs, you were like what, Covert Ops?" Dean asked, truly curious.

Cas sighed and shook his head. "You know I don't understand that."

"How many other places could you go?" Dean asked.

"I went to hell to get you, for one." Cas said.

Unwanted memories flooded Dean's mind, and he blinked hard and tried to flush them out. They kept coming, and coming. They took control of his mind, and he wasn't sure if he would every get out again.

_He was back on the rack, Alistair standing over him, bringing out the next weapon to poke at him with. He couldn't give in, he had to stay strong for Sammy, he couldn't let himself give in. _

_"No…no…no." he whimpered. _

_"Oh Dean, today is a new day. This could all end. I'm giving you a choice here. I'll let you off the rack, and the pain will stop, and all I ask in return is for you to torture some measly souls." _

_"No." He wouldn't break. He couldn't give in. _

_"But, unlike you, they deserve to be here, Dean." Alistair liked a line across Dean's chin. "Save yourself the pain, Dean." _

_Dean held firm. Alistair tsked, and raised the metal knife. _

_He promised that he would hold out, but he was tired. He couldn't take any more. They deserved this place, not him. He was good, he was better than them. _

_"I'll do it." _

_"Dean, Dean-" _

"Dean!" A voice yelled in his ear.

He startled awake, and found himself on the ground. Cas' worried face was crowding over him, and he felt hands shaking his shoulders.

"Cas?" His voice was hoarse, and he pushed himself up on shaky arms.

"What happened?" Dean asked.

"You had a flashback of hell." Cas said, quietly.

Panic filled Dean's being. "But I haven't had one of those in…it's this place isn't it. It caused me to remember hell."

"I'm afraid so. It's a result of being in Purgatory." Cas told him.

"Was it a one-time thing, or is this going to keep happening?" Dean asked, feeling the dread pool in his stomach.

"It's going to keep happening as long as we're in here." Cas stood up and started surveying the area.

"Will it happen to you?" Dean asked.

Cas sighed. "It will make us relive our past traumas, over and over again."

"Until?" Dean was almost afraid to know the answer.

"Until we become one of them."


	4. Chapter 4

"One of them, you mean a monster?" Dean asked.

Cas sat on a rock that was nearby. "Technically we won't become a monster. It is not possible for either you or I. However, our minds can become so ravaged that we will have nothing left. Only the basic instincts will remain, and we will block out feelings, emotions, anything that doesn't have to do with survival."

"So we'll basically act like wild animals?" Dean asked.

"That's an accurate description."

Dean ran a hand over his face and stood up. "Well that's freaking great, because your mind is barley hang in there as it is. It's not going to take much to push you over the edge. Oh yeah, and there's the fact you're _dying." _

A frown crossed Castiel's face. "I'll be able to hold on to my mind longer than you believe, Dean." Cas stated, truly offended.

"You've got all of Sam's hell baggage swimming around up there. So you'll remember his time in hell, plus whatever other crap that you've been through."

It said so much to their strained friendship, that Dean didn't know all the crap that Cas had been through. They had just started to get their friendship moving in the right direction again.

"The question is, how long will you be able to hold out, Dean?" Cas asked.

"You don't have to worry about how long _I_ can hold out, Cas. I'm good, just stay focus on keeping your mind in order, because if you turn into zombie!Cas then I'll die too." Dean stated.

"It is a very good thing that Sam is not with us." Cas said, quietly.

Dean gritted his teeth, in anger. His brother was out there having to deal with god knows what, while he just sat around here waiting to die.

"I don't believe he would be able to last long."

"Yeah well I wouldn't count him out; he lasted all the time till _you_ broke his wall till you took all of his crap." Dean growled.

"I'm not saying that Sam is weak, Dean. He is anything but that, but giving the amount of trauma that's happened to him-"

"Like you know what all the hell he went through!" Dean snapped.

Cas clenched his fists. "I do know, Dean. Because it happens to be _inside of me_, and I can't get rid of it!"

Dean realized what he just said, and felt the guilt pour into his heart.

"Cas, I-"

"We need to move. It isn't smart to stay in one place for so long." Cas ignored Dean's apology and kept walking.

Dean shook his head and followed the trench-coated figure into the darkness.

* * *

They hadn't walked for long before it happened. Cas slowed down. Dean raised an eyebrow at him and kept walking.

"Getting slow in your old age, Cas." Dean teased.

He didn't receive and answer and he turned back around. Cas had a weird look on his face.

"Cas?" Dean questioned.

The angel started coughing harshly. He brought his hand up to cover his mouth and Dean caught sight of the red droplets dripping down.

"Hey, Hey!" Dean shouted, running over to Cas' side. He put and arm around to Cas' side and tried to hold him steady.

"Easy Cas, just take it easy. You need to sit down." Dean said, watching his friend, concerned.

He lowered the angel to the ground, and watched helplessly as Cas still coughed. The angel suddenly grabbed his abdomen and grunted in pain. Dean watched as the red spilled over his lips, as he vomited into the dirt.

"Shit." Dean said, breathlessly.

Cas fell on his hands, and coughed again, before falling on his side, finally calm.

Dean's hand shot to Cas' neck to feel his pulse, and frowned when it was sluggish and slow. Dean rolled Cas over onto his back, and was glad to see his eyes open.

"Cas, look at me, buddy." Dean pleaded with his friend.

Cas' located Dean's face. He tried to say something, but found his throat was raw and tasted of a mixture of acid and blood.

Dean looked around for some kind of pond or stream so he could give Cas water, but didn't find any.

"Cas I need to find some water. Just lay here, I won't go out of sight, I promise." Dean told him, knowing fully well that Cas couldn't do anything to stop him.

He got up and searched for some water source. He wasn't even sure if it would be okay to drink, but he had to try.

After searching almost out of the line of sight, he noticed some moss lying around. He felt it, and sure enough it was wet with moisture.

He ran back to Cas and lifted his head up.

"Cas, is the water okay to drink?" He asked. Cas grabbed the moss himself and squeezed the water into his mouth. After a second, he sat back and rubbed his throat.

"T…That was unpleasant." Cas said, weakly.

Dean sighed in relief and pushed Cas back down onto the ground.

"We need to keep moving, Dean." Cas protested.

"No, what we need to do is rest here for a minute. You just lie back for a minute or so." Dean told him.

"I'm fine." Cas said, stubbornly and tried to push himself up. Dean grabbed his shoulders and pushed him back down.

"If you're fine, then why can I push you down?" Dean challenged.

"Dean." Cas growled.

"Just relax for a moment, okay. You had me worried you were about to bite the big one." Dean admitted.

"I apologize for frightening you." Cas mumbled.

"How close are you to dying?" Dean asked, fearfully.

Cas looked down. "I don't have any idea. I was afraid that I was dying then. That's why we need to keep going if we have a chance of getting you home."

"_Us."_ Dean corrected. "Getting us both home."


	5. Chapter 5

"Dean, we must move." Cas told him, twitching impatiently.

Dean sighed. He was sitting beside Castiel, the grass was fluttering from a chilly breeze. Dean shivered and pulled his coat tighter around him.

"Dean-"

"Yeah, I heard you the first time." Dean mumbled.

Cas pushed himself up, still slightly wobbly from his earlier "attack." Dean sat up and grabbed the moss he used for water and put it in his pocket. He would grab more if he saw it, but for now this was all they had. He was going to need water to survive, and he would also need food. Dean found himself more than a little worried about that one, though. It wasn't like they cut up monster and cook it up, could they?

Cas grabbed Dean by the arm and pulled him back into the forest.

"Hey, whoa!" He exclaimed.

"You are being too slow." Cas told him.

"Yeah well, I'm trying to collect me some water, so I don't _die._ In case you forgot, Cas. I'm human I need water and food to survive." Dean told him.

A Ziploc bag flew at his head, and he caught it easily in his hands.

"I suggest you ration it. It may be a while before we can escape." Cas stated.

Dean looked at the yellow substance in the plastic bag. "Honey?" Dean asked.

"I have nothing else available, Dean. I'm unsure if there is even any edible food in Purgatory. Until we found out, you will have to eat that."

"You don't need food, right?" Dean asked.

Cas turend around and gave him a confused look. "I've never needed to eat, Dean. I am still an angel, even in my weakened state."

"I just wanted to make sure. You've been barfing up blood, dude. I have no idea what's going on with you." Dean told him.

Cas walked faster, almost dragging Dean in the mud.

"We need to find a more secure sanctuary. Where it's enclosed and we can put up protection sigils."

"Would a cave work?" Dean asked.

"A cave with nothing in it." Cas told him.

"If we find one and there's something in it, we can always fight it out." Dean said.

"I would prefer in avoiding any conflict with the natives, Dean." Cas told him, voice sounding annoyed.

"Is this more of your 'I'm don't like conflict' crap?" Dean sighed. This wasn't good if Cas started to revert back to his earlier mindset.

"No, I have an interest in keeping the both of us _alive, _Dean. A concept you seem to have a hard time concentrating on." Cas growled.

Dean's mouth opened in protest and stopped. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"You won't listen to what I keep telling you, like now, we need to keep _moving_, and you keep stopping." Cas argued.

"Who died and made you in charge?" Dean seethed. He hadn't been ordered around like this since his father.

"Do you have any experience fighting in other dimensions, Dean?" Cas asked, lips drawn into a thin line.

"No, but-"

"I'm the more experienced one here, Dean. I'm not trying to control you, but you must trust my judgment."

The words lit a blaze in Dean that he had been keeping from igniting. "Really, Cas? _Trust _you? As I remember it, you asked me that not too long ago. _You're _the reason we're in here, and you want me to _trust _you." Dean laughed. "That's hilarious, really. You're so full of bullshit."

Cas turned around and grabbed Dean by the collar of his jacket, he picked him up and took flight.

Dean fell hard in the dirt. He groaned and seethed. Pushing himself up on shaky legs, he glared angrily at Cas.

The angel was on one knee, and blood dripped out of his nose.

"What is your problem?" Dean shook with anger.

"Enough." Cas said, breathlessly. "I'm tired of fighting with you, Dean. I'm trying to keep us both alive, and to do that you are going to have to have some faith in me. I'm aware I made a mistake. I made a horrible mistake."

"More like a colossal fuck-up." Dean muttered.

"I hate myself for it, Dean. I lied to you for a year. I _murdered_ my siblings. I almost destroyed the world. I should be dead, but I'm not. I can't fix anything." Cas shook and Dean eyed him suspiciously.

"But what right do you have to throw it back in my face?" Cas growled. "You're the one who made a deal with a demon. You went to hell, you tortured people, and _you _broke then first seal. Sam let Lucifer out of the cage. Bobby sold his soul to Crowley to get information. You forgave them. You said we were like family, you even started to forgive me."

"I have started, Cas."

"Then if we're family, like you claim, stop reminding me what I've done every second! I know what I did, Dean. I'll never get over it. I don't need you reminding me, not when I'm hearing it from Lucifer, and-"

"_Lucifer_?" Dean echoed. "You're seeing that bastard again?"

Cas looked and the ground and clenched his fists in frustration. "Ever since we've arrived in Purgatory."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Dean asked.

"Honestly, I didn't think you would care." Cas told him.

Dean opened his mouth to yell a reply, but was interrupted by clapping. "Such a lovely show, Dean. Haven't had that much entertainment in a while."

Dean looked in the dark at a figure standing out. His dark skin, mixed with his red eyes, and sharp rows of teeth.

"Gordon." Dean whispered.


	6. Chapter 6

"Well Dean I must say, I never expected to see you here." Gordon crossed his arms over his chest and huffed.

Cas stepped closer to Dean, moving into a protective stance.

"Down boy." Gorodon laughed. "I'm not going to kill your boy."

"Then what do you want?" Dean growled.

Gordon started walking around Dean in a circle. "I can't just stop buy and say hi. I mean I haven't seen you since…oh right! Since you and Sam killed me."

"You are…were a vampire. What did you expect?" Dean asked.

Gordon frowned and stepped closer to the two. "Believe it or not, but I'm here to help you get out."

"Of course, because I trust you." Dean said, sarcastically.

"Well you don't trust Castiel either."

Dean turned to him shocked. "How the hell do you know who he is?"

Cas looked down at the ground. "He was…in me."

Dean raised his eyebrows and glanced at Cas, demanding an explanation.

"Cas…."

"I'm a _soul, _Dean. He swallowed all of the souls. Every single monster in this place was in your boy there, and he brought us out, used us as a power source. Then he put us back. Neither was pleasant for us, as you can guess." Gordon smiled, smugly.

"You boys are the most wanted beings in Purgatory. I suggest you get the hell out."

"Yeah well, that's what we're trying to do." Dean stated.

"You need my help to get out of here." Gordon told him.

"I think we're good, so if you don't mind-"

"He's right, Dean." Cas said, quietly.

Dean turned to Cas in shock. His mouth fell open with a question. "Cas, this guy tried to kill Sam. He hunted him down. We can't trust him."

"We don't have another option. I'm…growing weaker. If we hope to get out of here in time, then we must go along with him." Cas told Dean.

"He has no reason to help us, Cas. This is a trap, it has to be." Dean pleaded with Cas to understand him.

Cas took Dean by his arm and led him aside, away from Gordon.

"I will watch him, Dean. If he was to try and harm you, I would kill him."

"What if you can't?" Dean turned with wide eyes towards his friend. "You said it yourself, you're getting weaker."

"I can hold my own against a vampire."

Dean shook his head. "I hope you're right about this." Dean mumbled.

They walked back over to Gordon, who looked them up and down suspiciously.

"What's in it for you to get us out of here?" Dean asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Gordon told him, firmly.

"Come on, you're not doing this out of the good of your heart." Dean told him, sarcasm dripping of every word.

"There's a system around here. Think of it as a prison, you tear apart the right people, kiss-ass the right monster, and this place ain't half bad."

"And you cozied up to the right crowd." Dean commented. "That doesn't explain why you're helping us."

"Because I'm not stupid." Gordon growled, he pointed to Castiel. "If I did what I really wanted to do and rip out your guts and wear your intestines around my neck as a trophy, I couldn't get two feet before the angel smote me."

"Wow, that's supposed to make me believe you?" Dean asked.

"I like things the way they are. With you two here it screws it all up. If Eve finds out you two are roaming _her _territory, then her bitches tear through everyone to get to you. If I try and fight you I won't win, I lose my respect and all my perks."

Dean turned to Cas, who nodded in conformation.

"Fine, we're in."

* * *

**Is Gordon telling the truth? Maybe...Maybe not**

**Thanks for reviewing.  
**


	7. Chapter 7

"There are different layers of Purgatory." Gordon told them as they walked through the forest. Gordon stood in front and Dean and Cas stayed close together, walking side by side.

"Are they similar to Hell?" Cas asked.

"Not in the way you're thinking of. Think of it as a big canyon. Right now we are at the bottom, in the middle. We want to get to the top. The only way to get there is to walk up the sides."

"How do we walk up the sides?" Dean asked, confused out of his mind.

"We walk up the sides. The sides are each different layers of Purgatory, each holding its own pack of monsters. The higher you get to the top, the stronger they get." Gordon said.

"Where is Eve?" Cas asked.

"The second layer, as close as you can get to the Ludicium."

"What's the Ludicium?"

"It's the gate back to Earth. Your ticket out of here." Gordon told them.

"So we're going to have to get past Eve to find a way out of here, awesome." Dean sighed. "How many layers are there in total?"

"Twenty-one."

"Jesus!" Dean exclaimed.

"We can just walk through the lower levels, no questions asked, but there will be a point when we have to fight our way through." Gordon said. "I stay on level 5."

"How did you know we were here, if you're all the way up there?" Dean asked.

"Are you kidding? Everyone saw you two fall through, along with the Leviathan. It was hard to miss with the angel, he nearly blinded us all." Gordon said.

Dean turned to Cas and raised an eyebrow.

"Although you are not nearly as bright as you were, you're losing your light, angel. I doubt you may even make it to the Ludicium." Gordon laughed.

Dean tensed and clenched his fists in frustration. "He'll make it, asshole. He's a lot stronger than you think he is."

"I believe it's a good thing I'm dying." Cas said.

Dean turned to Cas with a horrified face. "Well I don't _believe _it's a good thing." He spat.

"He's right. Like this he has a lower profile. We can make it faster if the monsters aren't distracted by a big glowy thing running past them."

"I'm not _glowy." _Cas growled at the vampire.

Dean shook his head and clapped Cas on the shoulder.

Gordon came to a stop ahead of them and looked around. "This is the next layer. We can make it through faster if we run."

"Are you up for it, Cas?" Dean asked.

"I am fine, Dean." Cas said, tensely.

Gordon took off and Dean and Castiel followed behind.

Dean saw various monsters glance at them as they ran past. They didn't make any moves to attack them like Gordon said, but he still felt weary.

The ground started shaking, making Dean almost trip. He turned around and saw a huge black figure running towards them.

"Gordon!" Dean called.

The vampire turned and looked behind them. He made a motion with his hand for them to move to the side. The figure ran beside them and snarled as it went past. It was a werewolf, the size of a Hummer, who left paw prints so deep that if Dean was to step in them, it would come up almost to his knee.

"That lovely creature is Hastur." Gordon said. "He usually is on level three."

"Why is he down here then?" Dean asked.

"I'm guessing that he was torn to shreds up there." Gordon said, as if it was nothing out of the ordinary.

"And he's just walking around now?" Dean asked, confused. "If he was torn apart, how is he not dead?"

"When we die here, we just respond at the lowest level, Dean." Gordon told him.

"It's like hell then." Dean blanched.

"You'd know better than I." Gordon winked.

* * *

They had almost made it to level nineteen, when Dean's legs gave out. He had been running for over thirty minutes straight, and he couldn't go any longer.

"I can't-" Dean huffed, lungs working to take in oxygen. "I can't run anymore."

Gordon stopped and glared down at Dean. "Humans." He sighed. "You're extremely pathetic, you know that?"

Cas bent down and lifted the Winchester to his feet. He was still breathing hard, his heart was racing, and his legs were wobbly.

"We won't run until you're able." Castiel told Dean.

Gordon huffed. "At this rate, we won't ever make it to the Ludicium."

"Deal with it." Dean growled.

"Sure, but do you even realize how selfish you're being?" Gordon asked.

"Why don't you shove it up your ass?" Dean seethed.

"Does this path continue on the same direction?" Cas asked.

"All the way up."

"What is the highest level we can be on, and still be safe?" Cas asked.

"I'd say level fifteen or maybe fourteen if you want to risk it." Gordon said.

"Will he be able to…rest for a few hours?" Cas asked.

Dean noticed what was going on and, spoke up. "What are you two talking about?" He demanded.

"I'd say we'd have no choice, would we." Gordon said, walking closer.

Cas nodded and reached out and touched both Dean's and Gordon's shoulder. He tensed once, and grimaced.

"Cas, what are yo-"

Dean didn't get a chance to finish before Cas had taken off in flight, bringing both of them along for the ride.

* * *

**Any Good Omens fans out there that caught the name Hastur? XD I'm just borrowing it, because I couldn't get that name out of my mind. **  
**Thanks for all of your wonderful reviews and alerts and faves, I love checking my email and seeing them all. **

**Ludicium= Judgement in Latin (that's important for the end) **

**So what do you think's going to happen now that Cas took them _both_** **with him when he flew? **


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: I discovered the Top Gun theme :DD! It's been playing on my TV for the entire time I was writing this. Once this is posted and I walk my Pug, it's going to be my ringtone. **

**(Strange that I have watched the movie like three times, but have never really paid attention to the theme song. I usually just listen to the Danger Zone XD) **

**Anyways…**

* * *

Dean hit the ground…hard. His face was pressed against the dirt, and his shoulder ached. He hoped that he hadn't dislocated it, or he'd be in trouble. He was dizzy as if he had just been stuffed in a washing machine, and he didn't think he could get up quite yet.

It worried him that he had hit the ground like he'd been dropped. Cas had transported Dean, Sam, and Bobby plenty of times, and he had never dropped them.

Dean listened out for any sounds around him. When he heard nothing, he gathered strength to push himself up. He was still disoriented, and his shoulder hurt like hell, but he was moving around.

Dean was tempted to call for Cas and Gordon, but was afraid he may attract some unwanted guests that might eat him.

"_Dean."_ Someone hissed his name.

Dean turned around and looked for the thing that was calling him.

"_Dean._" It called again. The voice wasn't deep enough to be Castiel's voice, so that left one other.

"_Gordon?"_ Dean whispered, harshly, hoping that the vampire would hear him.

A hand grabbed his shoulder and Dean spun around, ready to fight.

"Easy." Gordon said. The dark vampire had blood running down his face and his pants were ripped.

"You look amazing." Dean smirked.

"Did you find the angel yet?" Gordon asked.

The smirk fell from Dean's face. "How long since we crashed landed?"

"About ten minutes." Gordon said.

Dean sighed. He started looking around for any traces of his friend. Gordon stood beside him, and it made Dean uneasy. Gordon would be free to kill him, and Cas wasn't around to stop him.

"I landed not too far back from you, so hopefully he's around here somewhere." Gordon went ahead of Dean and sniffed the air.

"He dropped us on the boarder of fifteen and fourteen. I'll be dammed." Gordon chuckled.

"Cas!" Dean called out. Gordon grabbed his arm and stopped him from running out.

"Let go of me!" Dean shouted.

"Shut up." Gordon gripped Dean's arm tighter. "There are still things out here that can shred us. We need to stay close together."

Dean huffed and yanked his arm out of the vampire's grasp. They stumbled around for a good five minutes, before Dean began to panic. He was afraid that something had gotten to Cas drug him off somewhere.

Gordon stopped ahead of him and Dean ran up to catch him. "Did you find-"

They had found Cas, but they weren't the only ones. The werewolf, Hastur, stood over the angel's prone figure.

Gordon grabbed Dean by his midsection and held him tight. "There's nothing we can do, Dean."

The Winchester struggled to get to his friend before the werewolf tore him into pieces. His heart was racing so fast he could hear it in his ears.

"No!" He called out. "Cas!"

Hastur heard the call and turned his head towards the two beings that were behind him. He snarled and turned back towards the angel. He gave it a nudge with his muzzle and batted it with his paw when it didn't respond.

Hastur turned towards Dean and Gordon again, growling, before he jumped over Cas and ran back down the path.

Dean launched out of Gordon's grip and skidded in a halt beside Cas. He fell on his knees and brought his hand to Cas' neck to check his pulse. It fluttered once, before pausing then giving another weak pulse.

Dean turned Cas over and put a hand over his mouth. He felt a weak stream of air flowing against his skin and sighed in relief.

"Cas." Dean said, shaking the angel's shoulders. "Wake up, buddy."

Gordon came beside Dean and shook his head. "He's out cold, Dean. I'm surprised he's even alive still. Pulling a stunt like that was beyond risky."

"I told you he's stronger that you think." Dean smiled, and put a hand on Cas' chest.

Castiel gave a pained moan and his eyes opened into tiny slits. "D…Dean?"

"You're an idiot, Cas. What the hell did you do that for? It could've killed you!" Dean scolded.

Cas grimaced and coughed blood, splattering it against Dean's face.

"Shit." Dean paled. "Not this again."

Thankfully, Cas didn't barf again, but he took short, raspy breaths.

"Castiel." Gordon growled.

The angel opened his eyes and tried to focus on the person who called him.

"We have to go." Gordon said, impatiently.

"You said we could rest." Dean protested.

"We have to find a place to rest, first. We're out in the open here, anything could attack us." Gordon reached down and grabbed one of Cas's arms, yanking him up.

"Ah." Cas yelped in pain, and tried to gain his footing. Dean grabbed his other arm and supported Cas, letting the angel lean against him.

"Move." Gordon ordered, and marched forward.

"Hey, take it easy!" Dean yelled. "He's messed up pretty badly."

"He's not just messed up, Dean, he's dying. We don't have the time to play nursemaid to an injured angel. His best hope is for us to keep moving forward until we find somewhere safe enough to where we can rest for a few hours."

"He's right, Dean." Cas said weakly, heavily leaning on Dean.

The older Winchester pursed his lips and huffed in annoyance. "If you need to stop, let me know, Cas." Dean told him gently.

He felt Cas nod into his shoulder.

* * *

Dean was pissed. He was pissed at Gordon for pushing them on, when Cas was almost too weak to walk. He was pissed at Cas for pulling his little stunt, and hurting himself. He was pissed at himself for getting mad at Cas.

He knew that Cas could drop dead at any moment, and it terrified him. He cared about Cas, and he had just gotten him back. He didn't want to lose him again so soon. Not before they could even really begin to make amends to each other and repair their friendship.

"I'm sorry, Dean." Cas mumbled. Dean closed his eyes and shook his head.

"I am too, Cas."

They found a cave a little way up the path. Dean was left to hold Cas up as Gordon checked it out for any monsters.

"It's all clear." Gordon came back outside.

"How are we supposed to see in there?" Dean asked.

"I know how to make a fire, boy. I was a human to begin with." Gordon snapped at him.

Dean tried walking supporting Cas, but the angel's legs began to shake.

"Looks like you're going to have to carry him." Gordon smirked.

"Fuck off." Dean growled, and tried walking again.

Gordon watched the pitiful sight with humor. "You could have already been in there 'resting' for as long as you've been trying to walk with him."

Dean glared at the vampire over his shoulder before bending down and putting his arm under Cas's legs and hefting him up.

"Dean?" Cas asked, alarmed. "Why are you carrying me?"

Dean mumbled something neither angel nor vampire could hear and walked into the cave. Dean set Cas down against a wall and waited for Gordon to come back.

The vampire came in holding a stick with a flame burning on the end. He had other sticks under his arm and he threw them down in a pile. He lit them aflame, and Dean turned his attention to Cas.

"Are you actually hurt, you know, other than dying?" Dean asked.

Cas titled his head in confusion. He tried to sit up, but hissed at the pain the movement caused.

"Hey, just take it easy Cas. Is it your chest that's bothering you?" Dean asked, reverting into his big brother mode.

"I'll be fine." Cas insisted.

"Stop saying you'll be fine." Dean growled. "You're obviously not, so stop lying to me, Cas."

Hurt flashed across Cas' face. "Yes." He answered.

"Yes?" Dean asked, confused.

"You asked if it was my chest that was bothering me; I answered yes." Cas stated.

Dean bit his lip against a reply and worked Cas out of the trench coat.

"Why the hell are you in scrubs?" Gordon asked.

"I was in a mental hospital." Cas answered, as if that was a normal thing.

Gordon's eyes went wide. "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that." He said.

Dean rolled his eyes, and lifted Cas' white shirt up and over his head. Immediately, Dean noticed the bruising all over his friend's torso. He gently probed the area feeling for any breaks causing Cas to hiss in pain.

"Sorry." Dean mumbled an apology. He felt several breaks along Cas' ribs. "How long do you think it will take to heal these?" Dean asked.

"Better take under four hours, because that's as long as we're staying here." Gordon said.

Dean resisted the urge to snap a reply. He looked to Cas for an answer and the angel shrugged. "In this state, I have no idea."

"Great." Dean mumbled and ran a hand across his face. "I don't have any gauze to wrap your chest with." Dean said, apologetically.

A jacket hit Dean in the head and he turned to look at Gordon. The vampire shrugged. "It's not like I need it."

Dean carefully, but tightly wrapped the clothing around Cas' chest. "You need to try and sleep."

"I don't sleep, Dean." Cas said, grimacing in pain.

"Then meditate or something, just rest and try to heal." Dean shivered from the cold air, and pulled his jacket tighter.

After giving Cas some of the water from the moss, forcing him to eat a little honey, replacing his shirt, and draping the trench coat back over his friend, Dean finally relaxed. He glanced at Cas and saw that his eyes were closed, but his brow was pinched in pain. Dean frowned and prayed that Cas could hold out long enough.

"You care about him." Gordon stated.

"Your point?" Dean asked. He drank some of the water and covered his fingers in the honey, sucking the sweet substance off.

"You treat him like you treat Sam, well the way you treated him the last I saw. Never thought you could care for something that wasn't human."

"Things change." Dean said.

"I hope that he makes it to the Ludicium, Dean. I really do." Gordon said.

"Yeah, well that's two of us." Dean yawned and pulled his jacket over him. "You gonna shut up so I can sleep, or are you going to blab for four hours?"

Gordon laughed and went to stand at the mouth of the cave. "I'll keep a watch out for anything while you sleep."

Dean nodded his head and laid down beside Cas. He closed his eyes and he was met with darkness.


	9. Chapter 9

Dean awoke with the sound of Alistair's menacing laughter in his head. The elder Winchester sighed and glanced at his surroundings. Beside him, Castiel was asleep…or meditating, whatever angels do. The fire had died down a bit, but still provided some warmth to the human's freezing body.

"I didn't expect you to wake up so soon." A voice sounded from the corner of the cave. Dean's head snapped up and looked at Gordon, sitting down with his knees drawn to his chest.

"How long has it been?" Dean asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He yawned, still tired, but unable to sleep due to the nightmares.

"A little over two hours." Gordon told him.

"It's better than nothing I guess." Dean sat up and leaned his head against the cave wall. A silence settled over the two. Dean stared at Cas on the floor, watching the steady rise and fall of his chest.

"I found my sister." Gordon said suddenly.

Dean turned back to face the vampire in the corner. "Excuse me?"

"You remember why I started hunting the vampires? They kidnapped my little sister, turned her. I found her here." Gordon said, quietly.

Dean pursed his lips. "I'm sorry…but at least you saw each other again."

Gordon chuckled humorously. "She wasn't the same." The vampire paused. "You're down here so long before you lose everything you ever had. You're brain becomes re-wired. All you can think about is killing and surviving, nothing matters to you."

Dean's eyes widened and he looked the vampire up and down. "But it hasn't happened to you yet?"

Gordon smiled. "The stronger you are, the longer you last. Maybe I'll longer, maybe I'm at the end of my rope."

"You don't sound too sad about it." Dean commented.

"It's freedom, Dean. You have freedom from worries, fear, or any emotion. You just…live." Gordon sounded as if he was talking about a long-lost dream world. The vampire's eyes shined in the dim light of the fire.

"Yeah well, just last long enough to get us out of here." Dean snorted, dropping his head down onto his chest.

Gordon laughed. "You think that by acting gung-ho that people can't see inside of you, Dean. You're scared. In fact, not just scared, but completely terrified."

Dean glared at Gordon, lips forming a solid line. "Really? Well why doesn't the big, bad vampire just discuss my feelings then. Oh, we can do our nails and out bows in our hair-"

Gordon growled. "You're terrified that you won't get out of here. That you're going to be stuck here forever."

"It's a reasonable fear." Dean snapped. "I'm the only human in the place. I'm not delusional; I know that everything is going to come after me."

Gordon shook his head. "But that's not your greatest fear is it, Dean?"

Dean bit his cheek. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You're scared that the angel is going to die." Gordon said. "He means a lot to you, doesn't he?"

"What's your point?" Dean snarled.

Gordon smiled. "I was just confirming what I thought."

Dean snorted and returned his gaze to the angel resting on the floor of the cave. It was true; all of what Gordon said was true. He was afraid that Cas was going to die before they could make it back to Earth. Dean was afraid that he'd be left all alone here, and never get back. He was scared for Sammy. He had no idea what was going on topside, and he'd like to think that his baby brother hadn't been eaten alive.

Some shifting from beside him brought Dean out of his trance. "Cas?' He asked quietly.

"Dean?" Cas' eyes blinked open and stared up at the hunter. "'How long have we been here?"

"Just over two hours." Dean told him. "You have a nice nap?" He teased.

"I…was dreaming." Cas sounded puzzled.

Dean frowned. "Bad or good?" He asked. If his own dreams were anything to go by, then the angel must have had it rough.

Cas moved to sit up and winced in pain. Dean pushed him back down. "Hey, just take it easy for a while. We've got two more hours. Maybe you can heal up some more by then."

Cas looked offended at being pushed back down, but he didn't fight it. "It was rather unpleasant." Cas told him. "The dream..." He trailed off and looked away.

"Yeah I hear you." Dean sighed and leaned down further on the wall.

Gordon walked over beside them. "You better heal in the next thirty minutes, because that's when we are leaving."

"You said we could have four hours!" Dean protested.

"Would you rather wait around here for another hour or two, or get back home before he dies." Gordon growled gesturing at Cas.

"Dean, he is right. We need to move as soon as possible." Cas told him. "The faster we can get to the gate, the better."

"I don't suppose you can do your little flying trick again can you?" Gordon asked. Dean almost jumped up and hit him in fear that Cas would try to do it again.

"If I was to do it again…it is unlikely I would survive." Cas told them.

Dean swallowed against the lump in his throat and glared holes through the vampire.

"Fine, we'll be ready to move." Dean told him.

"I'll be scouting outside." Gordon said, and walked to the mouth of the cave.

Dean cursed under his breath.

"I will be fine to move, Dean." Cas reassured him.

Dean turned to him. "Don't do that again and leave me alone with him." Dean ordered.

"Has he threatened you?" Cas asked, alarmed.

"No." Dean sighed. "He talked about…feelings."

The confusion on Cas' face disappeared. "I understand now."

"What?" Dean asked.

"You are uncomfortable talking about anything related to feelings." Cas told him.

Dean blushed, embarrassed. "Okay enough with the chick-flick moments. Let's just get out of here and get home."


End file.
